The Black Student Support and Engagement (BSSE) and First Year Experience (FYE) kicked off Black Heritage Month with the Love Thyself: Mind, Body, and Soul event at Humber College’s North Campus.
The event spread awareness and support for health and wellness resources within Black communities on Feb. 7, 2023, in the Learning Resource Commons (LRC).
“Today’s event is called Love Thyself. This is important because Valentine’s Day is glamorized as loving other people, when really, especially during Black History Month, due to all the racial oppressions and things that happen in Black history, it’s important to love. Love yourself,” said Tenisha Noel, an organizer with BSSE.
Vendors set up their stations showcasing the services and resources available to students. Various tables had small activities for students to enjoy, such as soap-making. Complimentary Jamaican patties and fruit were also handed out.
Attendees were given bracelets upon arrival, with ‘Black History Month’ printed on them in red, yellow, green and black.
Alonzo Lee-Abbey, a health promoter, shared information regarding his booth. It showcased the peer and wellness coaching resources that are open to students.
“Peer and wellness coaches are students who do one-on-one coaching sessions virtually. It’s focused on different specialties, such as wellness, and relationships and we also do workshops,” Lee-Abby said.
Vendors spoke about what the Love Thyself event meant to them.
“Today is definitely really important because it brings everybody together while also raising awareness and just spreading the love,” said Melany Palacios-Naranjo, a student advocate for Ignite.
Aashish Arora from First Year Experience (FYE) shared why he thinks it’s important to celebrate Black Heritage Month.
For a long time, a lot of voices around the globe have been stopped, he said.
“Everyone deserves the same type of respect and recognition. Everyone deserves that, and it’s important to recognize every single voice out there. Whatever wrong has happened in history, we cannot undo that. But we can at least do better for the future,” Arora said.
The event brought together students, staff, and allies on Humber’s campus, filling the LRC with positivity and black culture.
Hawi Tulu, a second-year journalism student at Humber College, said Black Heritage Month is about representation.
“Black history is important as a Black student. It‘s a way of telling that where I come from matters,” she said. “So, having today to reflect on who we are and having showcases and remembering our history plays a good part in who we become in the future.”
“I think it’s really nice that to have a Black History Month where every Black student will get the chance to know where they come from and learn about themselves,” Tulu said.